Speakers at a seminar yesterday stressed the need for pursuing education in respective mother tongues for the children of ethnic communities across the country at the initial stage of learning.
They said this at the seminar on 'Outcome of the Study on Ethnic Community Children's Education through Mother Languages' organised Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) at its auditorium in the city in association with Unesco Bangkok.
The findings of a study, conducted by DAM on 437 ethnic children of the plain land and Chittagong Hill Tracts, were presented at the programme which showed that the children, who are learning in mother tongues, have better outcome than those learning in Bangla medium.
The competency test under the study conducted on the kids showed that children being taught in their mother languages are becoming more creative and inspired.
Lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education Ministry, said learning in mother tongue could bring success in the academic career of the ethnic children.
DAM President Kazi Rafiqul Alam said if the ethnic children could be taught in their mother tongues, the lack of interest of being educated among the ethic group could be lessened and the rate of dropouts be reduced.
Unesco Bangladesh Representative Malama Meleisea, DAM Research Division Deputy Director Rafiq Hasan, Prof Ahsan Ali of Dhaka University, Jatiya Adivasi Parishad General Secretary Rabindranath Soren also spoke.